The Heart in the Woman
by cammylopez
Summary: Brennan and Booth are to say goodbye. It is their last 5 minutes together, but what happened in the past 3 weeks? Are they living the same life they were leading a month ago? is it the same they'll live later on? That's for us to find out!
1. Two Metaphorical Hearts

**The Heart In the Woman**

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I do not own the Characters of Brennan, Booth or any from the TV show "BONES" Though, even when I fully respect Hart Hanson, sometimes I wish I were the writer! :)_

_**Summary: **__This is a flashback to those three weeks in between B&Bs last case together and their goodbyes in The Beginning in the End (5.22) Hope you like it!_

**Chapter One**

**Two Metaphorical Hearts**

_Booth felt his lion heart pound just like as if he were holding one of those war guns he would hold again once he were in Afghanistan._

_That hand, in between his, was soft, but at the same time strong and capable of great pain._

_Pain, to his heart._

_As he looked into her eyes, he could see that what had happened a couple of nights before, wasn't just a goodbye._

_And then, he let go._

**Three weeks before**

Booth and Brennan were at the Founding Fathers. The case, had been relatively easy and it was time for them to discuss one last time their futures. Their separate futures.

"So, this is it right? We caught the murderer, found peace for the dude and got to clean that filthy apartment of his." Said Booth as he stirred a spoon inside his coffee cup.

"Yes" nodded Brennan seeming rather inattentive.

"Euh... Bones, you Ok?" Booth asked, worried she was answering in auto-pilot.

Booth just kept looking at her, expecting an answer. However, she did not respond, she just looked into his eyes and with watery moon-like eyes moved her lips, trying to say some words that wouldn't come out.

"Booth... Booth, I..." She stuttered. Fearful, but impulsively, Brennan got up and pulled him by the hand while wiping her tears with the other hand.

"Bones what's going on? Please, will you tell me?" He said while not understanding why she was dragging him towards the door so quickly.

They fast walked towards the wide streets of Washington. She had stopped crying, and as un-Brennan as it seemed, she felt relieved to have dropped some tears and was Booth was, too.

They walked awkwardly quiet, neither of them dared to say anything. It was Booth who could not say anything. Brennan, simply, wanted to save her words until the moment they got to where they were headed to.

_Was she going to do the right thing?... Is this really the moment to...? _Were the questions running in her mind, while they approached the Washington Memorial.

It was a windy night and since it was 9 PM there weren't as many tourists as there would be during the daytime. And this was just the way Temperance Brennan liked the Mall, like the Bone Room: she thought this was a place where she could hear her thoughts, if she actually believed that was Ok. _It would definitely be a sign of I'm schizophrenia if I actually did_. And this was one of those nights where she would need those thoughts to talk to her.

Booth was still lost by her sudden action. This was not like the Bones he had been with for the past five years. _Or was she?_ Was this impulsive person the one he was in love with? or _the one that couldn't make up her mind without a pros and cons list?_

When she finally let go of his hand, she walked a few steps away from him trying to catch a breath before starting to talk. They were now in from of the reflecting pool, looking towards the obelisk, the Washington Monument. _Was this the time to tell him?_

"Bones..." He was ready to say when she turned.

"Booth, I..." Crossed arms, she looked down with a fully open mouth and then looked up at him.

"There's some things you must know... I mean, before we leave DC". She was now staring at his eyes with a worried look that was tearing his heart. The light coming from the posts next to the reflecting pool, were now reflecting some rays into his eyes and she could see those black, ensuring eyes that caught her 6 years before the moment they were sharing. The pupils dilated, his eyes wide open.

"I told you I couldn't. That night. I... couldn't." She said as she stepped closer to the man in her life. "I am not ready, Booth. But what you didn't understand is that, I want to be ready...I do" she said as she now moved closer to Booth.

He was disoriented. That night, outside the Hoover, she had told him she didn't want to be with him and he didn't understand why she was bringing this issue now, that they were about to go other ways.

"I-I know, I hurt you, I should have told you how I felt at the moment but I was..."

"Scared" he said, when he understood what was going on. "You were scared" He repeated and got closer to her. He see her softening the features in her face as he put his right hand in her shoulder.

"Rationally speaking, there was nothing to be afraid of, you re harmless to me." She said as she moved a bit closer and lowering down her voice to a whisper "In a physico-logical way you are a strong man and I should fear you, but what I mean to say is that I'm not scared of you... I'm scared, of what I might do... to you."

By now, her voice as wrecking. She had kept it together until she said it. "I cannot offer that kind of love you look for. I don't even know what love means. And, under all that, sniper-army training strength you have, I know, I will hurt you" She said, as she pulled her body against her partner's.

Booth felt confused, he could not believe what he was hearing. _Was she really that blind? Was she really not capable of seeing all the good unsolicited things she had done for her friends, for him, and even for the murderers when they regretted their actions?_

"Bones... " He said as he tried to think his words carefully "There's nothing. Nothing you could do to hurt me more than you not realizing what's going on here" He said and saw her lift her face toward his. She let him see her quizzical eyes, but still expectant and that let him know he should go on.

"You, are the standard. I've told you that, haven't I?" He said as she nodded. "Well, then, you should also know, that you are all I know, and what I want. I mean... Bones, for god's sake! you have saved my life, several times, you've been there when I've needed your help, you... you have been great to my son, and that my dear Bones, is something I cannot say of many people"

At first, there was a moment when she could feel the words dance into her heart, but then she made a rational point. _This is not the moment to fall apart_. "Parker likes a lot of people. He enjoys sharing stories from school with Angela... and Sweet, you know how much he likes mocking Sweets" She said as an smirk crawled into her face but faded when she told him she was not as good as them with kids, and that that had been a social demonstration of love, she had not been able to forge with anyone.

"Bones, no.. You are better than you think you are, and I'm not saying anything related to your IQ, we both know that Einstein would be scared of your brain..." He said trying to humor her, but she was buried in his chest and did not react to his hyperbole "What I mean to say, Bones... is that, if I ever wanted anyone to be part of my life, is you. Only you. That heart of yours, is as big as mine and, believe it or not, bigger than mine. I'm sure, that anyone worthy enough of it, will be the happiest person on Earth."

He stared at her frightened eyes for a few seconds. He knew his words had affected her in several levels, and he wasn't sure if a tear had rolled to her right cheek when she looked down. She slowly stepped away from him, still with her head pointing to the floor.

"Do you really think my ... metaphorical heart, is as big as yours?" She said as she lifted and tilted her head and gave him a shy smile.

"Bigger" He said trying to smile back at her, timidly.

Then she knew. This was the night she would say it.

"Booth?" she said, now a troubled look invading her face. "Would you stay at my place tonight? It's Ok if you do not want to, but I really..." She did the best to explore her emotions and say "feel... we should talk. After all, isn't this our last night as 'partners'?"

He hesitated for a minute and looked around. What this what he wanted?. Did he really want to spend more time trying to convince her to love him? _After all, this is not the way things should be_, he thought. And then it hit him. Maybe, just maybe, this would be the night when she'd tell him how she really felt. Whatever that was.

"We'll see where the night leads us, let's go wait for a cab" He said, as he placed his hand on the small of her back. When he did, she quivered and Booth felt it, too. "Bones, are you cold?"

"No" She answered. And then they both realized that the feeling of Booth's hand in her lower back, was more meaningful than ever now that Brennan was sure of what she felt for him.

_**Yay! You made it to the end, so that means you didn't fall asleep while reading it! That's cool, I hope you enjoyed it!**_

_**Did you like the first chapter? I'm not a native English speaker, so excuse me if I made mistakes and you can't keep up with my train of thoughts. If you've got any doubts about this or what to just say "Hi"," Keep going", "This is horrible", or whatever, please review and I'll know what I should do next.**_

_**Kissed from Chile! :)**_


	2. Just an Illustration

**__****DISCLAIMER: **_I do not own the Characters of Brennan, Booth or any from the TV show "BONES" Though, even when I fully respect Hart Hanson, sometimes, I wish I were the writer and there the reason why I'm writing here. Entertainment purposes :)_

**Chapter Two**

**Just an Illustration**

* * *

The cab stopped in front of them, almost as if the cabdriver knew they d be there. Booth gently opened the door for her and she made gesture, to thank him, but he was so absorbed in his thoughts at the moment, that he didn't notice it.

As he hopped on the other side, Brennan told the address to the cabdriver and they headed for the second part of their difficult night. The path to her apartment seemed longer than usual and both, Booth and Brennan were so quiet the cabdriver checked on the a couple of times, worried they might be falling asleep.

"Sorry Sir, it's just It will not be good if you or your wife fall asleep; Last night I had a lady who slept like a log, could not get her out of the cab until two hours later, when she woke up"

Booth just nodded, not even bothering to correct the assumption about the relationship status they had. Brennan noticed too, but she didn't have the strength to correct him either. Was it that obvious that what they had, wasn't just a partnership? their surrogate relationship, as Sweets described it, was maybe the strongest bond she'd built with anyone. He had been the only man in her life that hadn't disappointed her. And she saw that as a quality that she might not find anywhere else, and that security she thought, could not even be found in Maluku. Her hominids bones would not hold her on a cold, dark, winter's night.

When they got to the parking lot, Booth took some bills from his wallet and gave them to the driver. He said goodbye and thanked him as he closed the door.

As he got off the cab, Booth could see his partner's eyes fixed on him. He didn't know what to say, should he ask what was going on?

Brennan analyzed the situation for a moment. She really wanted to say everything that was in her mind, but she thought she should shut herself down at least until they were in her apartment. Still with her eyes on him, she approached him and took him by his hand. Booth's heart wanted to escape his thoracic cavity when that warm little hand touched his and a sweet smile crossed both their faces.

Again, as soon as the elevator's doors closed, she felt the awkwardness of the moment. She had made a great move, by taking him by the hand towards the elevator, and not only her but Booth understood the significance of it: she was giving in.

It wasn't long before Brennan took the keys out of her purse and got to the door. For a moment, when she pulled the key into the doorknob, she could hear Booth's breathing on her ear. He was not close but still that, warm exhalation made her shiver.

As she turned the lights on, she dropped her bag on a chair, while Booth closed the door and made himself comfortable by taking off his jacket. He had been in that pristine apartment so many times, he didn't even doubt when he grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge and placed them in the coffee table by the couch. Brennan, wordlessly, went to her bedroom and changed quickly into something more comfortable than her work outfit. She put on some gray sweatpants and a pink t-shirt, that made her curves easily detectable.

Her messy hair, when she went back to the living room, startled Booth. He felt as if he had gone back in that coma dream he had had about a year ago; It was so real, back then, to have that gorgeous woman walking around him so comfortably in the mornings, wearing nothing more than one of his gigantic shirts. That was definitely something he missed from those four days he was in his own alternate reality world.

"Booth?" She said, a little amused by his sudden shock and she grabbed one of the beer bottles. When he broke himself off that comatose fantasy he was having again, he smiled at her, trying to change a bit the mood of the whole night.

"So, Bones... you seem like you're feeling better now, will you tell me what's got you so worried?" he said and then drank some beer.

"Booth... you know why I'm worried." She said, putting his bottle down. "You said you loved me, and I didn't have the strength to tell you what I felt" She said as she re-thought how ridiculous of her had been not to accept his proposal. "What I feel"

He was surprised. Was she really intending to talk about her feelings? "Bones, whoa, you're seriously, bringing up feelings, now?" He said, thought it sounded less surprised than he actually was. "I mean, we're leaving in what, three weeks?" She intentionally ignored his last question.

"Booth, I... I was wrong" she told him, lowering her voice and getting closer to him. "I was wrong to think that I could not... love." His eyes were stuck on hers for a moment, and then slipped to her lips. "I-I Booth, I..." She said, right before she started to drop some tears.

"I do love you, more than you can ever imagine. Though, rationally speaking, there is no limit to you imagination... moreover, I have no proof that I can measure how much you are capable of imagining. But, limiting us to my brain, which you usually say is bigger than normal, I..." She said when she was interrupted by his finger on her mouth. Her eyes, went from that strong index finger to his eyes, letting her own blue eyes, twinkle in realization of what she really wanted to say and she summarized it, by pushing his finger away from her lips and dropping a tender kiss in his sweet lips.

"That's what I wanted to say" she said as she pulled away from his now, swollen lips.

His jaw dropped when he realized this had not been his comatose dream. "Bones... that was..."

"Don't say it, I only wanted to illustrate my emotions by engaging in mutual caressing with the lips as an expression of affection, respect and ...amorousness" she finally said as she tilted her head to a side. Booth placed a hand in her cheek, while his face lightened with a grin.

"I think that means you approve of my move" she said and then her eyes said something before her own voice could "I'm sorry. I didn't say anything before... I believe my capability to discern,when it comes to feelings, is much more limited than the one involving science" Her lips, pouting like a little child's. Booth tried to figure out if she had deliberately made that face, but anyway to him, it was one of the sweetest faces he had ever seen her make.

"I do approve, yes" He said as he moved close to her lips again "But I think I want to try again, just to make sure..." With a sly grin and a giggle, Brennan pulled herself closer to him, and while kissing him, she pulled her arms around him, as Booth with both hands pushed her face closer to his.

"Booth..." She said as she pulled away, gently "There's more I need to say tonight"


	3. It's Never Too Late

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I do not own the Characters of Brennan, Booth or any from the TV show "BONES" Though, even when I fully respect Hart Hanson, sometimes, I wish I were the writer and there the reason why I'm writing here. Entertainment purposes :)_

**Chapter Three**

**It's Never Too Late**

* * *

Booth wasn't sure if he had heard what she said. Her swollen lips, had never looked as enticing as they did now. It was almost like a dream, that she interrupted when she gently pushed him away.

"Bones, I-I'm sorry, know how hard this is for you... We should be taking this slow." He said, almost looking ashamed, but a little grin escaped him "It's nice to know, Bones"

"What is?" She said as she tilted her head with confusion.

"This... know that you care..." He said now with a big smile on his face, and placing his hand on her thigh.

"I do care..." she said as she put her hand, on top of his and squeezed it while showing bit of a smile " I really do" she added, pushing her lower lip to the front. That made Booth sigh in relief.

"You know" she said as she now got closer to his partner " A person's face and especially the eyes, in this case yours, are the most obvious and immediate cues that lead to the formation of impressions..."

She placed her hand in his face, it hadn't been long since she had felt his rough traces of beard. In fact, it had been just a couple of weeks before... when she rejected him.

"And, right now, these two indicators" She said, pointing to his eyes "are suggesting me that you're happy with my conclusion. The conclusion that I love you."

He just couldn't avoid laughing. This was something he had been waiting for for a long time, and the fact that she had finally acknowledged that she would give them shot, was all he needed.

He asked her if she was comfortable with him staying there overnight. It wasn't as if he hadn't slept in her apartment before, but he was worried she was taking it too fast for her own pace.

"Booth... I do want you to stay." She said and then she stood and walked fast towards the kitchen "Would you like something else to eat?" she said as she pulled the door of the fridge open. "I think I might have some pudding over here... I know how much you like it" she said, proud of how well she knew her partner... _more than partners _she thought to herself, which left a small smirk in her face.

As she approached him, Booth smiled anxious to know how the night would continue. He received the pudding and opened it right away. "Oh, Bones, I love that you know so many things about me"

Pudding was all over his chin now. Brennan noticed this, and released a loud laugh as she pointed to him, the pudding spot in his lower jaw.

"Here, I'll help you" she said as she moved her index finger towards his face. His dark eyes, shined more than usual, and she could see clearly the lines in the sphincter of his pupils. This once again, reassured her that she was doing the right thing for both of them. She wiped the pudding off his chin with her finger, and softly cleaned the last traces of it from his face. Once again, he smiled at the sweet gesture.

In a sudden, almost impulsive, move, she moved her face towards him and said "Why don't you let me try a little bit of that?" As she opened her mouth and smiled with her big blue eyes.

"What, pudding you mean?" He said, playfully.

"No, something much pleasant than pudding" She said as she locked lips with Booth.

This was the first night they had kissed, willingly. For Brennan the mistletoe kiss from a couple of years ago, and the hurtful kiss they had shared outside the Hoover, were lacking of excitement and weren't stimulating enough. But this time, it was real: they had engaged in a moment of pure love and an exposure of their deepest feelings.

Their arms clinging together, as Booth let his back go against the couch and pulled Brennan with him. He could remember the last time he had held someone that tight. _Only Parker, _he thought. But with her it was different, he never felt he would loose Parker if he let go, he knew that no matter what, as a father he'd never leave his child. With Brennan, however, he felt the need to keep her tightly close to him. He dropped a kiss in her head, as she made herself comfortable placing her hand in his chest.

She could hear his heartbeats and that made her own heart, go faster. It wasn't long until she had fallen asleep, and so did he.

**The next morning...**

It was Saturday and since none of them had pulled the blinds down, the light went straight to Booth's face as soon as the sun rose. He opened his eyes slowly, and as he recognized where he was, he found himself surprised to have Brennan sleeping peacefully on his chest. He watched her for a moment. While she slept, he could hear her breathing, and when she exhaled she made an almost inaudible sound, which he found to be the cutest thing. He felt the need to kiss her head, and pass his hand down her brown hair, but he restricted himself from the latter, thinking he'd wake her up and he would not forgive himself for breaking that unrestrained moment.

Brennan moved a little and since she was still asleep, didn't realize she had compressed Booth's ribs with her elbow. Instantly he jumped because of the pain he fell.

"What's going..." She said as she sluggishly rose from his chest. She then realized what she had caused him to jump like that and she was concerned to know if she had broken one of his ribs. "Booth, oh no.. are you Ok? I had no idea I was so uneasy in my sleep." She said, worry in her voice. "It's been a while since the last time I slept with someone"

"No, Bones, I'm alright, just not the best way to wake up, you know" He said as he rubbed his lower chest and broke contact with her.

"I'm sorry I could have broken one of your ribs. It doesn't take much force to break the 7th or the 10th, direct blows can break them as easy as you would break a small piece of wood" she said as she sat next to him.

"Yeah, enough with the anatomy lesson." He said, as he pulled her closer " You didn't break me, it will take lot of blows to break this ribcage" He said as placed a palm in his chest and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

She smiled shyly, understanding that the statement meant more than just about the injury she could have caused him.

"You know" she said as she now put her arm around his neck "Today, we're officially not partners"

She looked directly into his eyes, and expected a some kind of surprise look, but instead he just asked her "And what is that supposed to mean?".

She expected another kind of answer, so she took a second to think what she wanted to say. She looked around in her apartment. It was too clean, too boring at the moment, something she had never thought as bad before. But today was a new day. It had too be different.

"I think, that what I mean is that I consider this day to be reasonably different in our relationship. We're not working together anymore. Basically we're just citizens. You're not Seeley "FBI agent" Booth and I'm not Temperance "forensic anthropologist" Brennan, anymore. We're just... Booth and Bones" She said, her voice slightly high pitched. He pretended to understand where she was going with that declaration, but she knew better. He couldn't pretend around her.

"Well, I'll make myself cleared. There's nothing tying our hands anymore, we can do whatever we want, as long as it's legal and anthropologically accepted as right." She said eagerly. But the that happiness faded. "I know, we don't have much time left: the Maluku project will start in approximately three weeks and I know that in two you'll be in the Military base... but, can we at least try?" She said, tilting her hear, as she had accustomed to. "I want to try this time... hope it's not too late"

"Temperance" he said making her expression stiffen a little bit. She knew that when Booth used her given name, he was being extremely serious. "It will never be too late for us. I've waited enough and I'm not giving up that easily"

"Yes, but you said..." He knew where she was going. He had said he was moving on. In fact he had tried to, but he couldn't. No one compared to that beautiful scientist he had in front of him at the moment.

"No, I didn't mean it. But this I do mean. I knew. Right from the beginning that you and I would work out. And it will never be to late for us"

"In fact, there is a chance it will be late for us someday. When we go our separate ways, there's the possibility of us not talking for a long time. You... you could die" She said as she felt her throat become a knot. "I could be injured... and if I don't see you again, I don't want to regret not ever showing you how much I love you... That I would not be able to stand"

"No way that's happening, babe" he said instantaneously "You and I know better, we're not gonna be separated. It will be almost as if we're gone for the weekend, I assure you that" Yeah he said so, but in his inside, he knew it wouldn't be that easy.

He saw a tear drop towards her cheek, and wrapped her into a warm hug while rubbing her back. He wanted to be absorbed in her smell. She was now pressed to his chest and feeling the warmth of his body, neither one wanting to let go.

As they were hugging, Booth thought of something to make this first day of their new relationship a totally different one.

"Ok, Bones, why don't we get ourselves some coffee and find something to do? I have a place I want you to see" He said raising his brows over and over again and with a grin.

"Sure, but I get to shower first; after all you're crashing in my home." She said as she ran to her bedroom and closed the door.

"Are you kidding me? You were the one who invited me. Bones, you such a horrible host!" He yelled as he pulled his hands behind his head. _This are going to be some great three weeks_, he said to himself.


	4. Girl Doesn't Just Want To Have Fun

**__****DISCLAIMER: **_I do not own the Characters of Brennan, Booth or any from the TV show "BONES" Though, even when I fully respect Hart Hanson, sometimes, I wish I were the writer and there the reason why I'm writing here. Entertainment purposes :)_

**Chapter Four **

**Girl Doesn't Just Want to Have Fun**

* * *

By the time Brennan was out of the shower and dressed, it was 8 AM. It had been a long time since she had been up so late, since her job expected her to be in the lab by that time and usually having breakfast with Booth would take about an hour, so that they could discuss what had happened while they were apart after work. For her, that stiff routine, in which most of the time only the two of them participated, was perfect. Even though she recognized there was no such thing as perfection, she rationalized her relationship to Booth as the closest to perfection she had ever know, and that was satisfying, as a scientist and as a woman.  
Still with her hair damp, she walked out of the bedroom to announce Booth the shower was ready for him.

"Booth?" She said, looking around. She stood in the arch of her door for a moment, to see if she could perceive any sound, but she didn't. When she walked towards the counter, she saw a yellow post-it on it.

_Bones,_  
_I forgot I had to be at the Hoover today._  
_I'll meet you at tge Diner as soon as I can._  
_Btw, Heard you singing in the shower..._  
_Your version of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun makes me shiver... in a good way!_  
_You're just lovely,_  
_Booth_

The note made her giggle, it was the first note he would leave her as ... as... _"What? What are we?" _she thought. For a moment, Brennan was disappointed he had left just like that, but she knew that if it was the Hoover where he was going, he had to comply if he wanted to have a job when he came back from Afghanistan.  
The thought of that hot dry land in south-central Asia made Brennan quiver, ironically. And in her mind she had made millions of plans for them during those two weeks they had left together, but they didn't feel as such long time anymore.  
She came back to her room and finished getting ready, while thinking what she'd be doing in the lab if it was a regular day. _"Probably watching some reconstruction in Angela's machine"_ she thought and went on with her stuff.

"Angela!" Brennan yelled as she realized they hadn't talked yet. She hurried and picked her phone to dial her number. If there was anyone in this world, who needed to know what was going on it would be her.  
"Hey, Sweetie, shouldn't you be sleeping your butt off today?" She giggled.  
"No, Angela, you know I never sleep in later than 7 AM." She said in a serious tone, thinking she might have to reconsider what she wanted to say.  
"Is everything alright, Brennan? You sound a little... like me, but about to jump off a cliff. What's going on?"  
"Well, I'm not planning on jumping of a cliff any time soon... It's about Booth" She could hear her friend gasp in the other side of the line "Why did you make that sound, I haven't even told you anything..."  
"You did it. You finally tapped..." She heard Angela's voice augment in volume. "Angela! No... I just, told him how I felt... How I feel" She corrected.  
Angela squealed with glee, while Brennan laughed a bit. "It was about damn time, Sweetie! I knew you'd do it..." She said as she calmed down a bit. "So, what now? Are you guys staying?" She asked excitedly.

But Brennan gave her a negative answer. "We cannot change our plans now. I'm in charge of the Maluku project, it' not to take lightly...and Booth..." She said, gasping "Booth can't say no to the government. It's his duty to the country." She said, noticeably pensive.  
Angela tried to cheer her up, by telling her things would be Ok, and Brennan acknowledging her intent to help, thanked her not really sure that thinks would work out "I just regret not having told him anything before we decided..." She said. Brennan asked her friend to keep her "relationship" with Booth a secret for a while, because she thought it would just make things more difficult if everyone at the Lab knew. Angela agreed as she said goodbye to her best friend and hung up.

As soon as she put her phone down, Brennan took her bag and went to lock the door of her apartment from the outside. "I'm on my way to the dinner" She texted Booth.

* * *

Booth drove with a smile on his face. It didn't take him long to shower and get ready to appear in front of Hacker. Andrew Hacker had been involved with Brennan a couple of weeks before, and that annoyed Booth to the point he didn't care if he was his boss: he did not hesitate to call him a moron who was, in some way, stealing his girl. As a way of retaliation Booth would call him by his position in the FBI: Assistant Director. Yes, he was his boss, but still not as bold or successful as he was, just a kiss-ass dude with a good spot at the FBI.  
As Booth took the elevator, he felt a cocky grin spread across his face. He had the girl in the end.

"Booth, nice to see you! What brings you here so early? Weren't we meeting in the afternoon?"  
"Well, Assistant Director Hacker, Bones and I, just closed out last case, so basically there's nothing for me to do with a gun and a badge today" He said as he handed his props to Hacker.  
"Oh, Well.. it was a pleasure to work with you, I trust you'll do just a wonderful Sargent Major" He said as they shared a strong handshake. "So, Temperance is left without a partner? She must be looking for a new one" He said, getting a little bit too excited.  
"HA!" thought Booth "I'm sorry, but she's also leaving the FBI. The Jeffersonian has granted her time to go dig some bones in Indonesia" Booth felt Hacker sigh downheartedly and tried to not show comfort.  
"Oh, I heard about that project there... the Malwoowoo Project, right?" Hacker said, trying to, unsuccessfully, sound up-to-date.  
"Yeah, exactly that one" said Booth obviously hiding a bit of a laugh.

Right after Booth had finished with the paperwork, he got Brennan's text message. He was surprised to get a text from her, she never texted to let him know she was ready, but he found it cute. Perhaps she didn't want to waste any second without him.  
As he took a cab to the Diner, he missed being right next to Brennan. Even when they had spent more time together than they had in a while, for some reason he felt the need to be around and feel the scent of her perfume.

As soon as he got to the dinner he looked through the windows, Brennan didn't know he'd be turning in the Sequoia to the FBI and therefore, not driving, so he took a moment to observe her through the window, knowing she'd be waiting for the Toyota to appear somewhere.

She was at their regular table, having an small cup of coffee. Somehow he felt as if he was seeing her after a long time. She looked as beautiful as she did that morning, and wasn't wearing any make up, which was the way he liked her face the most.  
As he approached the Diner, he kept his eyes on her. How great was it that they had shared a night together and he still felt like being around liked being around her, but this time it was, like she had said: it was different. Her eyes were twinkly and her dark hair reflected the sunlight coming from outside. She was beautiful. And he knew that already. He had know since they met.

Brennan heard the door open, and quickly looked. Booth could notice her blushing, and smiled as he saw her look away, cognizant of her rosy cheeks.

"Hey, sorry I left you like that in the morning" he said as he sat down. "I had to turn in my badge, and the car... and the gun..." He said dejected but trying to look cheerful. "I'll carry a bigger one in Afghanistan" he said winking.  
Brennan noticed the discontent in his face. Of course he was sad, she thought, this gun was his manhood.  
"Booth..." She said as she put her hand on his. "The composite of qualities that make you who you are: courage, determination, and vigor are not because of your gun, you know that, right?"  
His face was lightened by a little smirk when he squeezed her hand, and so did Brennan's.  
"Ok, Bones, so we have some plans for this afternoon!" He now was rubbing his hands "You ready?"  
Brennan was hesitant. "Booth... You know I don't really like surprises..."  
Booth stopped her, "I know." He said, with a cocky grin. "That's why, we're doing stuff we already know..." he handed her a pamphlet."Since, we usually visit the Mall, and the Jeffersonian, we don't really have time to do other stuff in the city... I mean, together. So I was thinking, we might spend the day going other places, like that one right there" As he pointed the pamphlet.  
""The White House" She said, half smiling "But; I've been there and I'm pretty sure you have, too"  
"Yes... but not together" he said emphasizing the last word.  
"Yes, were there a couple of years ago, remember, the..." She said but was stopped by Booth's hand waving in front of her face.  
"Yes... but not together, get it?"  
"I'm not sure I follow" She said puzzled.

Booth was starting to panic. Had he had it all wrong? Had she really no idea what he was talking about?; his smile had faded and he let go of her hand to take his own back to his neck.

"I mean Bones, what's going on here? What are we doing? I thought we were.. you know, in a different stage of our relationship..." He shrugged and looked away for a moment. That made Brennan realize she had slightly hurt his feelings and what he was talking about.  
"Oh, you mean, me being you favored female companion? I thought I had made myself clear about what I wanted."  
"I'm not sure if that was exactly what happened" He said.  
"If you want we can call Sweets, let him interpret it for you. I'm sure he'll have some.. what do you call it, jibber-tadder.." She said as she was taking her cell phone out of her bag. Booth knew this was a usual response of her but he still freaked-out and managed to get the phone out of her hands.  
"It's jibber-jabber, not..." He gave a gasp "Bones, will you be my girlfriend?" He saw her caught a breath, surprised by his proposition " I-I know we won't be together like this for long, but, will you just give us a try?" He said as he tilted his head. "Be officially my girlfriend?"


	5. The Girlfriend in the White House

**__****DISCLAIMER: **_I do not own the Characters of Brennan, Booth or any from the TV show "BONES" Though, even when I fully respect Hart Hanson, sometimes, I wish I were the writer and there the reason why I'm writing here. Entertainment purposes :)_

**Chapter Five**

**The Girlfriend in the White House**

* * *

"Doctor Brennan, Agent Booth... Is there anything you need to share?" Said Lance Sweets as he listened to the team on speaker.

"God, Bones!" Booth said concerned Sweets had heard all of his proposal. "Sweets, we're just joking around, we'll call you back later" Quickly said Booth as he hung up and put Brennan's phone down on the table.

Brennan froze. She wasn't concerned about what Sweets thought of that call. Instead she was worried Booth would need a definition for their new kind of relationship, though she wasn't expecting it to be so quickly. She took a moment to analyze the situation, after all it was she who had allowed the situation to develop like that.

"Booth, I..I don't know if I'm comfortable with that term..." She could see his stiff features go softer with her words.

"I know Bones, I'm sorry... I'm taking stuff too fast here again, aren't I? let's just forget about this for now-" But Booth became silent by a look on Brennan's face.

"Booth" She said stopping him angrily "Could you, for once, stop conjecturing about what I think or feel? It's really unpleasant"

"Are you angry?" He said, surprised by her reaction.

"Yes, I guess I am" She said, realizing it. Brennan laughed to herself, it had been a while since she had been angry at Booth and she found it irrationally amusing. "Just... listen, Booth. Remember that night after the Gravedigger trial, when you told me not to make life-changing decisions when influenced by grief or when filled with apprehension?"

He nodded, and she went on talking. "I believe that you should have waited and should have hear what I had to say before jumping to conclusions, like you always do" She tilted her head apologetically. And after she did, she got up and sat next to him.

With a soft voice she told him: "I think I would like to participate in a learning experience with you... if being cataloged as your favored female companion would make you happy, then I think that would make me happy, too." Brennan gave a wide smile to her ex-partner and leaned closer to his face, which allowed her to gently kiss him on the cheek.

After giving such answer she felt her heart light. Somewhere under her scientific layer, she knew that the right answer for Booth would have been just a "yes", but she felt a great relief for sharing all that at once. Booth giggled with glee and as he leaned towards her ear and kissed her lobe. He whispered "Thank you" and Brennan's eyes flickered to his sincere expression of gratitude.

After a brief exchange of looks, Booth and Brennan ordered their breakfast. As usual, he would make an effort to persuade her into trying a bit of his apple pie, but she would just reject him with a "You know I don't like pie" and grab a piece of fruit from the bowl in front of her.

"So, White House, today?" She said when she was done chewing a strawberry. She looked down to the pamphlet "It's almost time for the self-guided tours to start, would you like to take one of those, boyfriend?" Said Brennan chuckling. The breakfast suddenly became quiet. For a moment they looked at each other awkwardly; It was so weird to call each other something other than Booth and Bones. "Let's just leave it as Booth" she said noticing a smirk in his face.

"Well the pamphlet was to have some visual support, you know, we're not really going to the self-guided tours; Instead, we're having a private tour with 8 other people... though that's not the important part of it" He put his hand on top of hers and squeezed it "This, here, is why today will be a great day"

* * *

It was 11 AM and the group was gathering at the south lawn of the White House. After having their IDs checked, Booth and Brennan were escorted by a group of body guards, as they made their way through all the tourist with their cameras and camcorders. Brennan remembered the last time she had been there: with the other Booth, for a ball. As she walked next to the real Booth, she could now understand what Angela had meant by telling her she was going out with the wrong Booth.

The body guard, a tall well-built man, left them by a small group of people, apparently there were still guests that hadn't arrived so they'd have to wait. In the meanwhile a young boy carrying a tray offered them cocktail drinks. Booth grabbed a a glass of scotch on the rocks, but Brennan thought it was kind of early to start drinking so she just grabbed a glass of water.

As they had their drinks, they scanned the people they'd be taking the tour with. Brennan thought they were most likely FBI agents and functionaries with their respective wives and husbands or like her, highly-intelligent professionals such as pedagogues, lawyers or health professionals.

Booth and Brennan exchanged teenage-like glances for a while; it was nice to do something different together, something other than catching murderers. Brennan gave him a wide smile. But their looks were interrupted by someone stepping in the middle of them.

"Seeley Booth, is that you?" Said the chubby blond man standing in between them."It's me Bob" he said with a smile "Bob Murray from Quantico"

"Hey, Bob!" the agent said as they shared a handshake and Booth patted the man's shoulder."Whoa, it's been what? Almost 15 years since we last saw each other?"

"Yeah, man. Quite a while, huh?" Bob said as he released himself from the handshake. "So, who's this beautiful lady over here?" Said the man extending his hand towards Brennan.

"Doctor Temperance Brennan, from the Jeffersonian Institution. Nice to meet you Bob." She said, cordially.

The man, at least 10 years older than Booth, made a sign for him to get closer and whispered to his ear "Is she your girl?" to which Booth nodded in response.

"Booth does not own me." She said with a growl "That's impossible: people do not own people." She softened her voice a bit and said" But if by that you mean, me being his girlfriend, yes I am. Consequently, he is the symbolical owner of my current sexual desires if there's any kind of ownership going on" She said proudly drawing back her lips revealing her teeth with a broad smile and took Booth's arm, who awkwardly shrugged to Bob.

Bob laughed out loud. Brennan thought he was a really nice person, since no one really laughed at her jokes. "She's comical Booth. I like her."

"Yeah, don't praise too much her jokes, she'll keep making them. Will you, give us a second, Bob?" He said dragging her, away from the blond man.

Brennan was lost, she had no idea why Booth was pushing her away from the nice older man. "Booth, you're making me drop my drink" She said whinny.

"Bones, it's just water." He said to stop her whining. "And what is that about me owning your sex dreams? Come on Bone, that's not something you tell everyone" He said, right before being interrupted by a tall brunette woman who stood in front of the group and with a little bell caught the people's attention.

"Hello there, welcome to our Private Tour Through the White House. It's a pleasure to have you visit us, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, I'd like to introduce you to each other." She said. In a rather nervous tone but excited, as she approached a couple. A young blond woman of about 5'3'' who was next to a man, of approximately 30 years old, to Brennan's estimation. "Please welcome, Penny Stockholm from the General Services administration and her husband, Mr. John Stockholm"

Penny waved her right hand towards the rest of the group, as she linked her left hand's fingers with her husbands, who nodded in acknowledgment.

"Ok, Over here" said the woman quickly walking to Bob and a woman as chubby as he was. "Here we have, Bob Murray, from the FBI currently working at Quantico training soldiers" Said the woman, really sickened by the man's belly.

"Note that my job does not require me staying in much of a shape anymore. Well, at least not a hot one." He said rubbing his belly to the disgust of the hostess and the humor of the rest of the group.

"Yes, I can see that." Said the woman dissimulating a smile "And this is Mrs. Murray, Sarah" She said, as she extended a handshake and placed a smile in her face.

Watching the episode, Brennan leaned towards Booth's ear and whispered "That lady seems to be mentally unbalanced. She might need a consult with Sweets, you know, psychiatric help..." She said with a smirk

"I second that" He said, as he but his hand on the small of her back and kissed her forehead.

When the hostess saw that, she approached the couple immediately, with a series of hops. "And look what we have here" She said, looking at Booth right in the eyes. Brennan could see a bit of a flirty twinkle in the woman's eyes, which made her inwardly furious. "Special Agent Seeley Booth" The woman said with a sigh."Main factor of the best murder-solving county in America. A pleasure to have you here" Said the woman extending her hand.

"And" said Brennan interrupting loudly, "Doctor Temperance Brennan, renowned forensic anthropologist to the Jeffersonian Institution, and partner in various ways to Agent Booth here." She said grabbing Booth by the arm and squeezing it, "and by that I mean work partners, and participants of an amorous relationship." She said, proudly.

The Hostess's smile faded. Apparently Agent Booth had not informed the lady of his current status, not that she had any reason to know. "Of course" She said, still looking into Booth's eyes, who grinned like a fool, proud of his girl."We should go on..." said the woman turning round to face the group.

She introduced a single man, Jason Strongman, a 40 year-old ex-CIA who now worked as a cop in the outsides of Washington; and Kathy Rink and his partner David Holland, a FBI team from Virginia.

With that the Hostess finished introducing the people attending to the tour and continued to introduce herself. "My name is Camille McCormick, and I'll be your tour guide today" She said with a grin "To all of you here, thank you for coming and I promise you'll have a day full of surprises" She said, glancing at Booth again, who gave a look at a very pissed Brennan.

Camille made a sign to the group, so that they'd follow her inside the building. When they did, they stepped into a room, marble floor, high ceiling. "This room here, is not open for tourists, it's usually where some of the President's family private meetings take place" Said the woman, hysterically, closing the big white doors of the room, so that anyone else would come in.

"What's that over there?" Pointed Sarah Murray, to a vase. "Seems to be of Asian origins. Beautiful!" She said excitedly approaching it.

"Yes, it's actually a gift from Ancient China, a gift from the current government" Said the tour guide.

When Sarah came closer to the meter-high vase, she looked inside, and the excitement just faded. It was replaced by a scream that scared of all the presents and that also alarmed the body guards, who rushed into the room.

The group, frightened, came closer to the vase and peeked inside it.

"Oh no..." Said Brennan and Booth at unison.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I want to know what do you like of the story so far (if you do), if you have any suggestions, comments you'd like to make, please review :) **


	6. Because She's the Best

**__****DISCLAIMER: **_I do not own the Characters of Brennan, Booth or any from the TV show "BONES" Though, even when I fully respect Hart Hanson, sometimes, I wish I were the writer and there the reason why I'm writing here. Entertainment purposes :)_

**Chapter Six**

**Because she's the Best **

* * *

"What's wrong?" said Camille approaching the vase, too. Her high-pitched cry confirmed Booth and Brennan their worst thoughts. To the couple's bad luck: a body had been found.

Brennan expected the ladies to behave accordingly, but instead they started screaming and crying on their significant others' shoulders. Yes, she was used to dead bodies, unlike the rest of the girls; but for a moment she thought that if it had been a different situation she would have jumped to Booth's arms instictively.

"Great, we didn't even get to see the Oval Office" Said Booth shrugging and taking his phone out to call the Hoover Building. "I'm calling the chief" He said, frustrated.

"No, you're not." Camille said as she, scandalized, rushed to get the phone out of his hand.

"What do you mean I'm not? This has to be reported" said Booth trying to get it back.

"Yes, Special Agent Booth" The woman was calming down, and getting closer to him. " I know that. But this is a White House matter... in the end it will end up here again, no need to take this matter outside."

"And technically, you're not an FBI agent anymore, you're on leave" said Brennan in serious mode. She noticed Camille was now rubbing his left shoulder, and she went on talking. "My boyfriend is on leave" she said with a little pull of his right arm and in a cheery mood.

Camile who was clearly disgusted by the body (and the relationship status) stormed out of the room, just as a three figures, who seemed to be from Security came into the room and locked the doors.

"Please, let us out, we have nothing to do with this" Said Bob's wife. She seemed to be out of breath and somewhat able to stand still, while her husband rubbed her back.

"Yeah, neither me or my wife sure have nothing to do with this..." Said Bob pointing to the vase "What's that supposed to be?"

Almost avoiding the question, the lady who came in in the front said "Doctor Brennan, could you conduct the examination of the remains to conclude what the next step is. I got orders from the Federal police that if this is a murder..." She seemed to be the boss.

"Excuse me, lady, but shouldn't you introduce yourself first?" Said Booth annoyed by the lack of control and the attitude the woman was carrying.

"Don't you see the forearm sticking out of that vase, sweetie? Of course this is murder!" Said Agent Rink, who was about to cry. "This is an FBI issue."

The groups started talking, everybody was yelling and no one paying attention to the supposedly authority in front of them. All hell broke loose in front of Brennan, Booth and the Security team.

"Everybody" said the woman shouting "Just calm down, we'll ask you to cooperate with us, and you'll be sent home soon if you do." She now looked towards Booth and said "And my name is Hannah Burley, head of the security department in the Residential area of the White House" The woman, seemingly in her 20s, tall and blonde, shook Booth's hand and gave a look towards Brennan. "We could probably call another forensic anthropologist if you don't want to take this. I'm sure we can find someone as qualified out there" Said with a cynical smile.

"There's no one as qualified as I am for this job anywhere near Washington" Proud Brennan said.

"I'm pretty sure there must be someone, Dr. Brennan... will you proceed?"

"_Ouch!"_ Booth thought _"Hannah Banana has just gotten herself a place in the Brennan Hell" _

Apparently, Temperance was in a good mood and even though she thought _I don't know what that means,_ she responded to the woman with the same cynical smile and a nod.

As usual, she was carrying some lab equipment, like her black gloves and some evidence bags; which Booth found to be weird, but at the same time so common of her.

"What?" She said looking at him. "You know these things happen to us all the time, and just because we were going to be in this allegedly secure building doesn't mean I won't carry these." She said as she approached the vase, and to the surrounding group's disgust, she took a firm skull that was, for some reason, sumerged in a greenish goop.

"What the heck is that in?" Said Mr. Holland getting closer, but still grossed out by the discovery.

"This is so not what we do, Rink." He said going back to the group and smirking at his partner. Of course, Booth and Brennan were the ones solving most of the murders in the area, incluiding their team's, which had led Agent Rink and him to mainly work handling reports, letters and forms.

"Well, remember that case we had last year with hydrofluoric acid?" Said Brennan peeking in the vase one more time, and with the skull still in her hands. "I think we have the same effect here, though this one has dissolved it seems, just the lower limbs"

She examined the head for a few minutes, just as the security team brought some things for her to work with. "The supraorbital ridges and temporal line suggest female. The third molar is not completely developed, which indicates she was from 17 to 24 years of age."

"How in the world would you know that?" asked Penny, really curious.

"_Oh no, she didn't"_ Thought Booth.

"Didn't you hear me earlier? Forensic anthropologist." Said Brennan kind of pissed that everybody was interrupting her study of the remains and whispered to Booth. "If this is the intelligent people who are supposed to protect the country... one would think they'd at least know what an anthropologist does." She said, giving the woman a look, with intense dislike.

"First of all, the male cranial mass is more blocky and massive compared to the females which is rounder and tapers at the top" She said showing the interested crowd the front part of the skull. "Secondly, the female's brow ridge margin is sharper while the males are rather rounded and dull. Thirdly, the Zygomatic bone is more pronounced on the male skull than the female skull.

Also, the male have a deeper cranial mass than the female. And, last but certainly not least, the supercilary arch of the male skull is more pronounced and larger...".

"Got it, Penny?" Said Booth mocking Penny as her expression chnged from interested to having no clue what Brennan was talking about. He knew Brennan would give all the details if encouraged, she loved doing that and he had learned that a while ago, she did that to stand out of the crowd.

"What is your conclusion, Dr. Brennan?" Said Ms. Burley from the other side of the room.

"I'm comfortable saying this woman..." _Or what's left of her, _they heard Booth say.

"...has been murdered in the White House" She said putting the skull in the table that was next to the vase, where the security team had put some paper sheets. She made eye contact with Ms. Burley, and showed a bit of concern in her eyes: This was not going to be an easy day.

"Not that she needed to examine it to figure that out..." Said Jason, with a single laugh.

"And her name is Johanna Theron" Said the anthropologist as she broke eye contact and looked back to the skull. "From New Jersey, student of Political Sciences at Princeton."

"Man! She is good" said Jason now, and patted Booth's back.

Brennan, not sure why the man was so surprised pulled an ID card from the inside of the vase. "This was on her shirt." She said showing the crowd and then looked at Jason Strongman "Remember, only the lower limbs have dissapeared, her ID was clipped to her shirt" She said as she put the card next to the skull.

The Security team got closer to the vase to circle the area with yellow tape. Meanwhile, the rest of group was taken to another room to be questioned by the security team, Booth and Brennan still stood next to the remains.

"I'll have my team check for the girl's connection to the House and see what that can lead us to. Would you come with me, Agent Booth?" Said the blonde. "All of the witnesses must be questioned and while we go check the entrance records I could spare some time and do both" She said, with an absolutely calm and polite smile.

"_Don't these women know the concept of monogamy?"_ Thought Brennan, and buffed while examining the right lateral epicondyle.

"I'm supposed to be sent to Afghanistan in three weeks, that's why no gun, not anything" he said, shrugging. "I must stay, I mean, Bones and I here, we're a team" He said with a typical cocky grin, and noting his girlfriend was looking at him right in the eyes.

His eyes shifted back to Ms. Burley as she said "I'm sure about that, Agent Booth. But at the same time you two need to be questioned separately just like the other visitors. So, if you don't mind, I'd like you to come with me" The woman headed to the door without looking back and when Booth looked down to Brennan, her look suggested she wasn't, at all, amused by the blonde.

* * *

_**OK, so I have no idea yet where I'm going with this! I just hope that if you like it you continue to read, and review so that I can know, ok? Thanks! :D**_


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